Thermal mass for preserving food in functional compartments

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a temperature-controlled drawer within a fresh food compartment. The drawer includes a temperature dampening member in thermal communication with a freezing air source and an interior or the drawer. The member is made of a thermally conductive material. In use, heat is conducted away from the interior of the drawer through the temperature dampening member in communication with the freezing air source. Thus, freezing of a foodstuff within the drawer is minimized or prevented, a temperature variance within the drawer is minimized, and humidity within the drawer is not adversely affected by dry freezing air source.

I claim: 
     
       1. A refrigerator comprises:
 a temperature-controlled drawer within a fresh food compartment including:
 a temperature dampening member in thermal communication with a freezing air source and an interior of the drawer and is made of a thermally conductive material, 
 wherein the freezing air source is in communication with the fresh food compartment via a plenum, 
 wherein the temperature dampening member has two ends comprising a first end located within the drawer and a second end located within the plenum, 
 wherein the entire first end located within the drawer is in direct communication with the interior of the drawer, and the entire second end is in direct communication with the plenum to thereby create a dry freezing source, 
 wherein heat is conducted away from the interior of the drawer through the temperature dampening member in communication with the freezing air source, and 
 whereby freezing of a foodstuff within the drawer is minimized or prevented, a temperature variance within the drawer is minimized, and humidity within the drawer is not adversely affected by said dry freezing source. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the drawer is slidably mounted with the fresh food compartment. 
     
     
       3. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the plenum is adjacent but entirely separated from the drawer. 
     
     
       4. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the temperature dampening member is made of a heat conducting material. 
     
     
       5. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the heat conducting material has a thermal conductivity of at least about 40 watts/meter-C°. 
     
     
       6. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the heat conducting material has a thermal conductivity in a range of about 40-600 watts/meter-C°. 
     
     
       7. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the heat conducting material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, steel, nickel, combinations thereof and alloys thereof. 
     
     
       8. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the temperature dampening member is planar member or a planar member with fins. 
     
     
       9. The refrigerator of  claim 1  wherein the temperature dampening member is made entirely of a heat conducting material or partially of a heat conducting material. 
     
     
       10. The refrigerator of  claim 9  wherein the temperature dampening member is partially made of strips of the heat conducting material, extending from end to end, within a matrix of a less conductive material. 
     
     
       11. The refrigerator of  claim 10  wherein the less conductive material is synthetic plastic material. 
     
     
       12. A refrigerator comprises:
 a temperature controlled and slidable drawer within a fresh food compartment including:
 a temperature dampening member in thermal communication with a freezing air source delivered to the fresh food compartment via a plenum and an interior of the drawer, the member has two ends comprising a first end located within the drawer and a second end located within the plenum, the member is planar member or a planar member with fins, the member is made entirely of a heat conducting material or partially of a heat conducting material, and the thermally conductive material including aluminum, copper, steel, nickel, combinations thereof and alloys thereof,
 wherein the entire first end located within the drawer is in direct communication with the interior of the drawer, and the entire second end is in direct communication with the plenum to thereby create a dry freezing source, 
 wherein heat is conducted away from the interior of the drawer through the temperature dampening member in communication with the freezing air source and 
 whereby freezing of a foodstuff within the drawer is minimized or prevented, a temperature variance within the drawer is minimized, and humidity within the drawer is not adversely affected by said dry freezing air source.